About Our Chapter

NCL, Inc., Heritage Oaks Chapter is a group of mothers and daughters who have come together in a commitment to community service, leadership development and cultural experiences.
Members shall reside in or attend school in Campbell, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, or Saratoga areas, or attend the Harker schools or the high schools of Archbishop Mitty, Notre Dame, Presentation or St. Francis. Like all NCL, Inc. Chapters, Heritage Oaks aims to foster the mother-daughter relationship by serving its communities together.

The Heritage Oaks Chapter donates thousands of service hours each year for over 25 philanthropies in our South Bay community, with mothers and daughters working together side-by-side to make a difference. Through our service, cultural events and hands-on leadership training, we nurture and develop the next generation of women leaders. Along the way, we forge life-long friendships and have a lot of fun. 

Join Our Chapter

Interested in joining our chapter? Membership opportunities are dependent on chapter openings.

If you know someone in our chapter, talk to her about getting started, membership obligations and our membership drive timeline.  If you do not know someone in NCL, you are invited to complete this Membership Inquiry Form.

Membership Inquiry Form

For any questions regarding Membership, requests for transfers or assistance with connecting as a Sustainer, email us.

If you would like to apply to join the Heritage Oaks NCL Chapter please complete the following from: Heritage Oaks Application Packet

Community Service

We understand and serve communities in partnership with local and national nonprofits. Each NCL, Inc. chapter promotes social awareness by considering the local community’s needs and selecting appropriate non-profit organizations to support through different volunteer activities.

We work with the following philanthropies:

• Alzheimer’s Association
• American Cancer Society Silicon Valley
• American Heart Association
• American Red Cross
• Disaster Response
• Friends of the Saratoga Libraries
• Giving Tuesday
• Guadalupe River Park Conservancy (GRPC)
• Hope Services
• Humane Society Silicon Valley
• Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation Silicon Valley
• LifeMoves (Formerly InnVision)
• Meals On Wheels Santa Clara County
• Montalvo Arts Center
• National Day of Service – Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service – January 15, 2024
• New Museum of Los Gatos (NUMU)
• Operation Care & Comfort
• Operation Gratitude
• Princess Project
• Project Linus
• RAFT-Resouce Area for Teaching
• Sacred Heart Community Services
• Santa Clara County Parks
• Second Harvest Food Bank
• ​Shining Stars
• Special Olympics Northern California
• Via Services/Via West

Leadership Development

We build capable, courageous leaders through opportunities to learn, reflect and develop. Our leaders become successful in their education, career and communities by learning the necessary skills during their NCL experience.

Examples of skills developed include:

• Confidence
• Consensus building
• Team building
• Conflict resolution
• Event planning
• Parliamentary procedure

Our Chapter Board of Directors:

• President: Janine Evans
• President Elect: Shailaja Venkatsubramanyan
• Secretary: Caroline Evans
• Treasurer: Debra McLaughlin
  Vidya Maniyath
• Parliamentarian: Julia Lombardi
• Vice President Communications: Neetu Pun
• Vice President Membership: Patricia Charles
• Vice President Philanthropy: Anita Mathias
• Vice President New Members: Sireesha Akella
• Vice President Ticktockers: Britany Evans
• Vice President Chapter Engagement and Inclusion: Simine Carlo

Leadership Opportunities for Mothers and Daughters

Our Chapter encourages our members to identify and develop their own leadership style. Mothers and daughters take on leadership roles and build essential skills, such as public speaking, budgeting, consensus and team building, event planning, conflict resolution and parliamentary procedure.

Our Patronesses (the mother members) each contribute to the Chapter management. Patronesses are encouraged to hold Board or other leadership positions.

The Ticktockers (the daughter members) meet by grade-level class.  Each Ticktocker class has a different leadership focus.  Beginning in 7th grade, the Ticktockers explore leadership styles, NCL core values and develop friendships. In 8th grade, they learn to communicate more effectively and lead their grade level meetings. They also learn about internet safety, social networking and building self-confidence. As 9th graders, the girls further develop their time management skills and practice conflict resolution. The 10th grade Ticktockers learn about driving, personal safety and develop first aid skills. In 11th grade, the Ticktockers learn money management skills and prepare for future employment with interview practice and resume writing. In their final Ticktocker year, the seniors prepare for college, learning campus safety and event planning.  Also, the seniors mentor the younger Ticktockers and explore opportunities to sustain their NCL contribution subsequent to graduation.

Each Ticktocker holds an annual leadership position as one of the class Board Officers or Committee Members. The Ticktockers are guided in their positions by grade-level Patroness leaders and are trained and mentored by Patroness Board members.

Cultural Experiences

We preserve National Charity League traditions and core values, while appreciating the growth that comes from connecting with different communities and cultures. We continually strive to build stronger ties with our communities and the individuals within them. It is through this understanding that we grow and develop broader worldviews that will shape and support our lives.

• Traditions – We celebrate the richness of our history through traditions that honor the past while serving the future.
• Values – We embrace values that make us strong as an organization of mother-daughter leaders.
• Community Connections – We build connections through experiences that impact our communities.
• Etiquette – We encourage and mentor kind, respectful and gracious social conduct.

As future leaders, our members build stronger ties with our community through community, philanthropy and cultural events. While we are at it, we learn a lot, build friendships and have fun. Our Mother/Daughter Awards Tea and Fashion Show is one of our signature cultural events of the year, with all Ticktocker classes contributing to the hosting and planning of this annual event.

To promote cultural awareness, the Ticktocker classes have a different cultural focus each year and attend activities within the focus areas:
7th Grade – Musical Theater
8th Grade – Dance/Ballet
9th Grade – Cultural Festival
10th Grade – Art Museum
11th Grade – Musical Arts
12th Grade – Dramatic Arts

Our Chapter History

The Heritage Oaks Chapter of NCL, Inc. was formed in 2004 and became a chartered chapter in February 2006.  We are located in the heart of Silicon Valley.  Our members live in Campbell, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, San Jose and Saratoga, and attend 15 different designated schools including Fisher Middle School, Redwood Middle School, St Andrews, Archbishop Mitty High School, Los Gatos High School, Saratoga High School, and Valley Christian.

The name – Heritage Oaks – was inspired by a majestic oak tree in Saratoga. The chapter was formed by a group of women determined to expand our community’s access to the unique leadership, philanthropy service and cultural opportunities that NCL offers to mothers and daughters over a six year time frame.

Our Chapter has grown and flourished.  Today, Heritage Oaks inspires over 300 members to succeed as confident, well-rounded and socially aware community contributors, philanthropists and leaders.

Past Presidents:

Jamie Chan 2022-2023
Kelly Smith 2021-2022
Pernille Bruun-Jensen 2019-2020
Sharon Bender 2018-2019
Rita Sadler 2017-2018
Allison Birdsall 2016-2017
Bonnie Stevenson 2015-2016
Anne Narragon 2013-2015
Terrie Creamer 2011-2013
Maria Guerra 2010-2011
Kathleen Herder 2009-2010
Debbie Sabella 2008-2009
Ann Beverly 2007-2008
Cindy Safe 2006-2007